Specialized S-Works Evade III helmet evaluation – An all-round glorious possibility

The Specialized S-Works Evade III is a range-topping aero highway helmet, launched in 2022, utilized by a handful {of professional} groups together with Soudal QuickStep and SD Worx. 

It is a unisex helmet, and in contrast to the Prevail III helmet which focuses on air flow, the Evade III has its focus primarily geared toward aerodynamics. Proving its aero credentials, it just lately got here an in depth second in our large wind tunnel helmet check, behind solely the POC Procen Air. 

But given the time-trial aesthetics placing many riders off sporting the POC helmet, does that make the S-Works Evade the defacto winner? It’s definitely the most effective aero helmets you should buy as we speak. 

It is full with MIPS Air Node rotational impression tech inside, and though not included, it could actually additionally accommodate the ‘ANGI’ sensor which can robotically cellphone house within the case of a sudden or critical impression. 

It is the third iteration of Specialized’s go-fast helmet, and its launch got here with a giant shock. For an aero helmet designed and launched by a model that seemingly thrives off daring advertising and marketing claims, I used to be confused to listen to the model say that aerodynamically talking, it was no sooner than its predecessor. 

Instead of discovering an aerodynamic achieve, the American model focussed on one thing else: Ventilation. There’s no bolder technique than altering the narrative, and that is what the Evade III did.

In current years, temperature has been a fast-growing space of efficiency enhancement. For instance, the Ineos Grenadiers directeur sportif, Zak Dempster, just lately advised me that every one of their 2024 Tour de France workforce have warmth chambers of their properties, serving to them to acclimatise forward of the race. So it stands to motive {that a} helmet that may assist the rider keep cooler will allow higher efficiency.

By opening up the vents on the entrance, pairing it with greater exhaust vents on the rear, and including in what it calls a diffuser, Specialized says it was capable of make the Evade III helmet higher ventilated than its predecessor whereas sustaining the identical aerodynamic efficiency. 

With that in thoughts, is the Evade III not merely the most effective aero helmets, however the most effective highway bike helmets full cease? Spoiler alert: I feel it’s.

Design and specs

Going again to fundamentals, the Evade III has three massive vents on the entrance, alongside two smaller vents alongside the flanks that are primarily for sun shades storage. These vents angle downwards barely, so I discover you have to flip glasses the wrong way up when storing them right here to keep away from the lens sitting under the forehead of the helmet and within the line of imaginative and prescient. 

Three inside channels sit on the within of the forehead, permitting airflow previous the forehead pad and throughout the brow. Inside the helmet, the normal expanded polystyrene (EPS) is designed with three channels that journey from entrance to again, letting air cross the highest of the top shortly. 

On the bottom of the central channel is a brushed silver S-Works emblem that provides a contact of premium class to the design. This is matched by two related flashes of silver on the skin of the helmet. Unlike the Kask Elemento or the POC helmet noticed on the Tour just lately, there is no carbon fibre in use. 

The pads are minimal and have the totally unobtrusive Mips Air Node rotational impression safety expertise. The rear retention cradle is operated utilizing a small proprietary dial, with an easy-to-use vertical adjustment too. 

The straps, off-white in color, are narrower than opponents and due to this fact higher for individuals who need to keep away from tan traces. They aren’t adjustable for top, however they sit a snug distance beneath my ears – a complement that can not be handed to the POC Omne helmets or the Van Rysel FCR. 

The off-white color is not the very best for cleanliness, as a result of as sweat dries it discolours them, inflicting them to look slightly second-hand. At the tip of the straps, a regular buckle clip retains them collectively, slightly than the Fidlock magnetic clip discovered on some opponents.

At the rear, the exhaust is made up of 4 triangular vents that sit collectively to type a rectangle. These vents look fairly massive from the skin, however seen from contained in the helmet they’re truly fairly small. Despite this, they do job of expelling heat air. 

More than simply holes to let heat air out, although, Specialized says this elongated rear serves an aerodynamic function as a diffuser, letting airflow stay connected for a fraction longer and enhancing the aerodynamic efficiency. 

Performance

I’ve been utilizing the Evade III for 2 years and it has lengthy featured in our purchasing guides for highway helmets and aero-specific helmets. In current months, I’ve frolicked testing each helmet featured in our wind tunnel check, and but the Evade III is the one I choose up when I’m not particularly testing one thing, and that is as a result of it performs very effectively in each space. The information out there to us suggests it is secure and quick, and I’ve discovered it to be comfy, well-ventilated and finally it is easy to overlook I’m sporting it. 

I’ll begin with security, as this needs to be the primary precedence of a helmet buy. As all the time, it is a troublesome one to quantify. It options MIPS rotational impression safety and may accommodate the ANGI sensor, however the precise potential of a helmet to guard towards concussion will rely upon how effectively it suits your head form, and naturally, the severity and angle of the impression.

All helmets are designed to cross minimal business requirements on impression safety, and the Evade is not any totally different, however the unbiased testing carried out by Virginia Tech University backs up the protection credentials even additional. It rated it on the highest attainable 5 stars, and whereas its rating of 10.93 places it as solely the Forty ninth-best helmet of their testing, that is consequence towards helmets of all genres. 

Aerodynamically talking, as talked about above, it got here a second in our wind tunnel check. Worn by Cyclingnews Tech Writer, Tom Wieckowski, within the Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub wind tunnel, the typical CdA throughout 4 yaw angles (0, 5, 10 and 15 levels) was 0.3523. 

That mightn’t imply very a lot by itself, so let me translate. If you have been to experience for 40km at 250 watts on a flat highway with no wind whereas sporting the Evade, it will take 1 hour, 3 minutes and a pair of seconds (accounting after all for the bike and clothes setup utilized in our testing protocol). That was the second-best end in our check, solely seven seconds slower than the POC Procen Air which gained. 

It was 24 seconds sooner than the S-Works Prevail III, and 47 seconds sooner than the slowest helmet on check, the POC Ventral. Of course, your precise mileage could fluctuate, however in our testing, the Evade III is without doubt one of the quickest helmets round.

Moving onto air flow, and having examined the Evade alongside dozens of opponents in circumstances as much as 30-plus Celsius warmth, I’m comfy in saying the air flow efficiency of the Evade III is among the many greatest. 

It’s not fairly to the breathability ranges of the Prevail III or the Uvex Surge, each of which have large open vents throughout your entire head, however it matches extra ‘all-rounder’ helmets such because the Giro Eclipse, and simply outperforms the costlier Kask Elemento in my expertise. I’ve by no means felt uncomfortably sizzling within the Evade and would fortunately select it for a race day in a heatwave. 

Finally, it is value speaking about type. I feel the Evade III seems nice, however I’m aware my opinion is not essential; type will all the time be a person factor. Importantly, although, I’ve not met anybody who would select to put on the POC Procen Air over the Evade. It may be sooner, however there is no denying its seems are polarising. Everyone I’ve questioned on this matter would take the seven-second deficit in a heartbeat. 

Value

At a retail worth of £250.00 / $299.00, there is no denying the Evade III is an costly helmet. If you are on the lookout for a budget-friendly mannequin, this in all probability is not it. The Van Rysel FCR Pro helmet can be my suggestion there. 

But when you think about the Evade’s efficiency in security, consolation, air flow and aerodynamics, it is among the many greatest on all counts, so I feel there’s an argument for the worth it offers. 

Given the worth of the Procen Air is £360 and the Kask Elemento is £350, it’s miles from the costliest possibility available on the market, but it performs simply as effectively in most regards, if not higher on common. 

Verdict

The Evade III helmet isn’t totally with out its flaws. The off-white straps are fast to grow to be soiled, and the angle of the sunglass storage vents put them at a clumsy angle, however these are minor within the greater image.

And that greater image is one in every of a premium helmet that’s among the many most secure and quickest available on the market, is competitively light-weight, seems nice, and is forget-you’re-wearing-it comfy irrespective of the temperature. 

I’d put on it on the highway, in a race, and even on gravel. I feel it excels in every single place, and if you happen to’re available in the market for a high-end highway helmet, it is laborious to discover a motive why you should not too.